# Chances of Obama dying from a Biden gaffe? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959 "2008-10-01T03:11:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/21 "2008-10-01T15:14:47Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > I’m developing a fiscal conservative side as I get older, but, the Republicans are too weak on that. It seems that they want to be fiscally conservative (EXCEPT DEFENSE) which is a pretty big caveat considering that defense is the majority of the budget. Not “majority” as in “more than half”, AFAIK. I thought Social Security was bigger. And if it is legitimate to talk about “medical spending” (meaning Medicare and Medicaid lumped together), I thought that was bigger than defense too. Although I agree that failure to cut spending in general is the biggest failing of Bush and the Republicans who controlled Congress until a couple of years ago. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/22 "2008-10-01T15:20:48Z")
I wish I had a nickel for every “social liberal” I’ve seen using the words “hippie douchebag” when making his points. Why, I’d have enough to cover the bottle deposit on my Fresca. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/23 "2008-10-01T15:31:19Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Not “majority” as in “more than half”, AFAIK. > > I thought Social Security was bigger. And if it is legitimate to talk about “medical spending” (meaning Medicare and Medicaid lumped together), I thought that was bigger than defense too. > > Although I agree that failure to cut spending in general is the biggest failing of Bush and the Republicans who controlled Congress until a couple of years ago. > > Regards, > Shodan IIRC, defense is one of the five biggest issues, including payment on the national debt, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. However, if necessary Medicare, Medicaid, and SS could be cut, though it’d be political suicide even to think of reducing one of them. Defense cannot be removed from the budget: it is necessary for the protection of the country. It’s not the majority, but it’s a large part that really can’t be fucked with too much. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/24 "2008-10-01T15:36:43Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I would also rate Biden’s chance of _understanding that he made a gaffe_, and trying to correct it, as much higher than Palin’s should she make one. I’m not sure that’s always a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/25 "2008-10-01T15:50:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Defense cannot be removed from the budget: it is necessary for the protection of the country. It’s not the majority, but it’s a large part that really can’t be fucked with too much. You can fuck with it all you want. Defense spending is not predicated on what we need to defend ourselves, and hasn’t been since the end of WWII. Modern defense allocation is based on which sector of defense contracting needs a cash injection. It’s about job creation (or preservation), not defense. The F-15 is still capable of defeating any enemy\* (ie. non-Western European) aircraft at a rate of two to one or better. Rather than upgrade it or design a better one, the Air Force spent zillions of dollars on the F-22- an aircraft designed to shoot down other aircraft that _haven’t been designed yet_ (and may never be). The Marines’ V-22 is a money pit, dangerous, and will probably never be effective in half the roles it was designed to fill. Did they cancel the program? Yep- at least three times, and each time it was reinstated for purely political (well, economic) reasons. We could “defend the nation” and maintain a military capable of achieving the Pentagon’s bottom line goal (the ability to engage and defeat the next two most powerful states in the world at the same time) for half of what we spend, and probably less than that. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/26 "2008-10-01T15:57:24Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > In case you haven’t caught on yet, this is a parody thread. \ I really enjoyed your OP, right up until this line. It may not have been the greatest satire ever, but I thought it poked good fun at how insane we are all being about Palin. The problem with it is that the diatribe afterward sort of cut the legs out of the bit. The thing about comedy is, if you explain it, it isn’t funny. Try to remember that for next time. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/27 "2008-10-01T16:33:48Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Biden is a motor mouth who sometimes trips on his tongue, but the chances that he’s going turn people away from Obama are zero. I don’t care if he slaps Palin on the ass and calls her a “prize fucking sow,” (which he won’t do anything close to) it’s still not a good enough reason to risk a Palin Presidency. I agree. I’m a little disheartened to see the extent to which many people here equate foot-in-mouth disease with outright stupidity, and associate physical ailments and clumsiness with incompetence. with regard to the latter, in one of the Palin threads people were defending her by saying, Well Bush Sr. threw up on the Japanese PM, and Gerald Ford fell over, etc. But they were not stupid or, necessarily incompetent, however much you agree with their politics or not. Biden comes from small town, lunch-bucketworking-class roots; in fact he’s from John Updike country, where the cars need washed and the lawns need cut ( 😃 ). Small mill towns fifty years ago usually harbored provincialist attitudes that would not be politically acceptable today, and, just as importantly, turns of phrase and use of words which, then and there, was considered the height of enlightened interracial brotherhood, but now make us cringe. Even Obama has been the subject of one or two of Biden’s gaffes; long ago, when Biden was still a candidate for President, he referred to Obama’s “articulateness”. (Clearly he’s been forgiven.) A great many white people don’t understand how offensive the word ‘articulate’ is to African Americans in this context, but they don’t use it to be racist. They use it because they misunderstand the meaning of the word. They should say “eloquent”. Having foot-in-mouth disease doesn’t make Biden an idiot. I would bet my life that if you asked Joe Biden what magazines and newspapers inform his political philosophy. He wouldn’t say he has “a vast number of them”, or “all of them”, as Palin did during the latest fiasco with Katie Couric. She reminds me of Bertie Wooster being asked which of an author’s books he likes best. And she was a journalism major to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/28 "2008-10-01T17:11:22Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > (They aren’t running for me, either, but that won’t stop this tread filling up with people who treat me like a McCain/Palin defender. Watch. This paranthetical won’t stop them.) I can’t imagine how your constant attacks on Obama and defense of McCain get you painted as a McCain defender. Damn kneejerk liberals ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/29 "2008-10-01T17:29:57Z")
You should probably direct this parody instead to those McCain-hating commie liberals like George Will. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/30 "2008-10-01T17:59:03Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > She reminds me of Bertie Wooster being asked which of an author’s books he likes best. And she was a journalism major to boot. Oh, come one, let’s be honest here - when you take 5 years at 4 different schools to complete a bachelor’s degree in journalism, you’re not exactly a person of letters. Even if we take into account the duration she took off in the middle of this absolute whirlwind of a curriculum in order to fulfill her duties as Miss Wasilla (and - let’s give her credit where credit’s due - as second-runner up and Miss Congeniality in the Miss AK pageant). Oh, and as regards the OP - epic fail. You could take all the Biden gaffes you can find, and they wouldn’t come close to touching the slips that McCain and Palin have both made. Why? Because Biden’s gaffes (and he has indeed made some doozies) rarely indicate that he is both massively underinformed about the current state of the world, or out of touch with the common voter. Unfortunately, McCain and Palin have both made some very troubling gaffes. McCain: “At least 4.” (how many houses he thought he owned - he was off by 3) McCain: “How about $5 million?” (when asked where the line between middle class and rich was) McCain: No quote - the [recent flap](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=483896) about his not knowing who Spanish Prime Minister Zapata was. Palin: “I’ll have to get back to ya on that one, Katie. . .” (pretty much any hard factual question) Palin: “I said ‘No!’ to the Bridge to Nowhere.” (what Nowhere? [this Nowhere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Palin_Nowhere_99901.jpg), apparently.) I’d look for more Palin examples (and they are legion), but I’m aggravated enough as it is today. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/31 "2008-10-01T18:16:28Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Oh. Thanks. > > You know, there’s only one thing lamer than bad “parody,” and that’s when the person attempting it comes back to explain that it’s parody. With **RR** ’s awesome parody skillz, he could probably have helped the Right-Wing-Daily-Show last another episode! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/32 "2008-10-01T18:23:08Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > And she was a journalism major to boot. Well, she says she was a journalism major. But since she’s refused to release her transcripts as well, I guess that’s another thing for which we’ll just have to take her word. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/33 "2008-10-01T18:35:46Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Well, she says she was a journalism major. But since she’s refused to release her transcripts as well, I guess that’s another thing for which we’ll just have to take her word. Well, she may have been a journalism major in 6 different colleges! How experienced is that? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/34 "2008-10-01T18:42:23Z")
> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > Oh, come one, let’s be honest here - when you take 5 years at 4 different schools to complete a bachelor’s degree in journalism, you’re not exactly a person of letters. > > Even if we take into account the duration she took off in the middle of this absolute whirlwind of a curriculum in order to fulfill her duties as Miss Wasilla (and - let’s give her credit where credit’s due - as second-runner up and Miss Congeniality in the Miss AK pageant). > > Oh, and as regards the OP - epic fail. You could take all the Biden gaffes you can find, and they wouldn’t come close to touching the slips that McCain and Palin have both made. Why? Because Biden’s gaffes (and he has indeed made some doozies) rarely indicate that he is both massively underinformed about the current state of the world, or out of touch with the common voter. > > Unfortunately, McCain and Palin have both made some very troubling gaffes. > > McCain: “At least 4.” (how many houses he thought he owned - he was off by 3) > McCain: “How about $5 million?” (when asked where the line between middle class and rich was) > McCain: No quote - the [recent flap](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=483896) about his not knowing who Spanish Prime Minister Zapata was. > Palin: “I’ll have to get back to ya on that one, Katie. . .” (pretty much any hard factual question) > Palin: “I said ‘No!’ to the Bridge to Nowhere.” (what Nowhere? [this Nowhere](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Palin_Nowhere_99901.jpg), apparently.) > > I’d look for more Palin examples (and they are legion), but I’m aggravated enough as it is today. Zapa_tero_, not Zapata… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/35 "2008-10-02T02:50:39Z")
> [@Influential\_Panda](#): > > You obviously have a horse in this race, so don’t get all pissy about the nuance of not being a _true believer_ in the McMiracle. You know what he meant. OK, I’ll agree with you that I have a horse in this race, but I think my horse is of a different color than many McCain/Palin supporters’. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/36 "2008-10-02T02:51:47Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Biden is a motor mouth who sometimes trips on his tongue, but the chances that he’s going turn people away from Obama are zero. By “people” I’m sure you mean “Obama taint-lickers,” and I agree with your assessment. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/37 "2008-10-02T02:52:52Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > You know, there’s only one thing lamer than bad “parody,” and that’s when the person attempting it comes back to explain that it’s parody. I believe it’s a requirement of the rules of this here messageboard, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/38 "2008-10-02T02:54:29Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > I don’t know about **Rand Rover** in particular, but I know a lot of people for whom “socially liberal” means “shit, I don’t wanna KILL any gays, I just want 'em to know their place”. (Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh and Philly at the edges, and Appalachia in between.) :rolleyes: Thanks for excepting me from this sentiment. Just so there’s no misunderstanding, I’ll explicitly except myself. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/39 "2008-10-02T02:55:41Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I’d also consider myself fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I don’t see what we have in common. Please explain. If you’d care to support an argument that the Democrats are more fiscally conservative than the Republicans, I’d sure listen. Fiscally conservative mind you, not fiscally responsible (whatever that means really). ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959/40 "2008-10-02T02:56:50Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I wish I had a nickel for every “social liberal” I’ve seen using the words “hippie douchebag” when making his points. > > Why, I’d have enough to cover the bottle deposit on my Fresca. ‘Bout what I’d expect from a hippy bag o’ douche. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chances-of-obama-dying-from-a-biden-gaffe/465959.md?page=3)